Joe Root Reclaims ICC Test Batting Crown, Pakistan Players Make Strides
LONDON / DUBAI – July 16, 2025:
England’s Joe Root has reclaimed the No. 1 position in the ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings, leapfrogging teammate Harry Brook after a match-winning performance against India at Lord’s. Root’s scores of 104 and 40 were pivotal in England’s narrow 22-run victory, pushing him to the top of the Test charts with 888 rating points.
Harry Brook, who previously held the top spot, dropped to third, while New Zealand’s Kane Williamson moved up to second. Australia’s Steve Smith also climbed one place to fourth, thanks to his gritty 48-run innings against the West Indies in Jamaica.
Indian batters faced setbacks in the rankings. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant dropped to fifth and eighth, respectively, while Shubman Gill slipped three places to ninth after a poor outing at Lord’s.
Pakistan Batters Show Progress
Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel advanced to 12th place with 739 points. Rising star Saim Ayub debuted in the rankings at joint-83rd, tied with Marco Jansen and Aamer Jamal at 352 points. Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam held steady at 21st and 23rd, while Salman Ali Agha fell to 37th.
Shan Masood remained at 48th, Abdullah Shafique moved up to 51st, and Kamran Ghulam stayed at 76th.
Test Bowling Rankings: Australia Dominates Top 10
India’s Jasprit Bumrah retained the No. 1 Test bowler title, followed by South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada and Australia’s Pat Cummins.
Australia now boasts five players in the top 10:
Pat Cummins (3rd)
Josh Hazlewood (5th)
Scott Boland (6th) – up six places after a hat-trick against West Indies
Nathan Lyon (8th)
Mitchell Starc (10th) – despite a seven-wicket haul
Among Pakistan’s bowlers:
Noman Ali held firm at 5th
Sajid Khan dropped to 20th
Shaheen Afridi slipped to 21st
Mohammad Abbas (27th), Naseem Shah (35th), Abrar Ahmed (50th)
Others: Khurram Shahzad (64th), Aamer Jamal (72nd), Mir Hamza (93rd), Agha Salman (95th), Zahid Mahmood (97th)
Test All-Rounders: Jadeja Holds Strong
India’s Ravindra Jadeja remains the top Test all-rounder. He’s followed by Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Bangladesh) and Wiaan Mulder (South Africa).
Pakistan’s performance:
Noman Ali – 22nd (down 2 places)
Sajid Khan – 31st
Agha Salman – 33rd
Aamer Jamal – 42nd
Shaheen Afridi – 55th
Naseem Shah – 75th
Mohammad Abbas – 80th
Emerging Players Making Waves
Shamar Joseph (West Indies) rose to 14th
Justin Greaves (65th) and Alzarri Joseph (29th) gained momentum
The latest rankings highlight the increasing competitiveness of Test cricket, with rising stars and seasoned players vying for dominance across all formats.
